Volunteer tourism - An interesting experience for young people

Coming to volunteer tourism , in addition to admiring beautiful scenery and experiencing unique culture, tourists also find the meaning of life by contributing to the development of the land they visit.

Volunteer tourism is a type of tourism that combines sightseeing, relaxation, exploration with charitable activities, helping the community, such as: environmental protection, natural disaster prevention and recovery, supporting the construction of school facilities, housing, giving gifts to people in difficult circumstances, teaching English, life skills to children... This means that participants are both tourists and volunteers. With such characteristics, destinations for volunteer tourism are often localities with advantages in natural landscapes, indigenous culture, but still face many difficulties in living conditions, socio -economic development level. After each trip, you will learn many useful things, expand your social knowledge, and connect with friends from all over the world. This is also an opportunity to look back at what you have, appreciate your health, happiness, and sympathize and share with people around you.

Tourists participating in the Ban Gioc - Cao Bang volunteer tour take souvenir photos at Khuoi Ky stone village, Dam Thuy commune (Trung Khanh). Photo: VEO

Cao Bang, a mountainous land located in the Northeast of the country, is famous for its poetic and majestic landscapes and cultural values imbued with national identity. Recently, this charming land has become a destination chosen by many companies and volunteer organizations to build volunteer tourism programs. Not only focusing on checking in for "virtual life" or searching for delicious restaurants, the volunteer tourism journey will bring tourists into the simple life of the simple, hospitable people; understand the hardships and deprivation in remote villages; feel the beauty of the land and people of the border region from the smallest, simplest things. Tourists can contribute part of their efforts to help people repair their houses, build roads, harvest rice, clean up the environment, make traditional handicrafts, etc.

The Volunteer for Education Organization (VEO) has developed many volunteer tours with the aim of connecting young people with volunteer activities for the community. From Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai to Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang..., VEO's volunteer tourism projects all focus on the social community, contributing to raising awareness of environmental protection and sustainable tourism development for local people.

In particular, the volunteer tour of Ban Gioc - Cao Bang includes interesting and meaningful activities such as: supporting the development of community tourism, promoting the image, preserving the culture of the Tay ethnic group and the ancient architecture of Khuoi Ky stone village; consulting and sharing experiences in developing homestays for households; teaching children and adults; participating in the experience of making cooc mo cakes, playing the Tinh lute, singing then then evaluating and giving feedback on the service. Tourists will visit the "fairyland" of Ban Gioc waterfall - Nguom Ngao cave; immerse themselves in the deep, ancient space of the stone village hundreds of years old; discover the unique features of Phja Thap incense village and learn about the revolutionary history at Pac Bo National Special Relic Site. Currently, the volunteer tour of Ban Gioc - Cao Bang organized by VEO has a total cost of about 2 million 450 thousand VND.

Young Vo Thi Van Ha from Hung Yen shared: At the age of 18, in the first semester of university, I went to Cao Bang with VEO. Overcoming the winding mountain passes, everyone in the group had the opportunity to experience the cultural life of the Tay ethnic people, teaching English, drawing, and dancing to the children together. The volunteer travel journey inspired and motivated me to continue to strive and try to realize my dreams.

However, volunteer tourism also requires certain conditions that not everyone, at any time, can participate. Many programs limit the number of members to focus on professional and effective activities. On the other hand, volunteers must also be tested and trained to ensure good health, motor skills, communication, enthusiasm, cultural respect, etc.

If tourists are too familiar with regular tours and resorts, why not try a volunteer travel journey to discover many new and interesting things.

Linh An

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